Community Lab Results

The results of our Community Water Lab will be posted here! For more information about the lab and how you can get involved or get a test done, visit our Community Water Lab page.

  • E. coli for recreation in inland waters in England is recommended to be less than 1,000 CFU/100mL.
  • This test also gives us a reading for total coliform, but there are no set recommended levels and so most people should be looking at E. coli.
  • Our regular tests allow us to test to up to 2,420 CFU/100mL. If we suspect that a sample will be higher than that, we perform a careful dilution with 50% mineral or distilled water (as well as a blank) to allow us to read results up to 4,840 CFU/100mL. In some instances, we dilute to 10% sample with 90% dilutant, allowing us to measure up to 24,200 CFU/100mL.
  • Each test is collected by, and processed by, volunteers on Friday mornings. We can only process samples that have been sponsored (by community sponsors or through a grant) or purchased (£15/sample, much more affordable than traditional labs).
  • Water Rangers is providing this information as a service to the community. Our code of conduct does not allow us to take any political stance. Learn more about our code of conduct to understand why.

Help us test regularly!

We need help to monitor these locations (and others) every week! Learn more about how you, your local councillor, or a local business can help us test!

Latest – 9th November 2024

LocationResults
St. Catherine’s swimming, Guildford2,407 CFU/100mL

Latest – 2nd November 2024

LocationResults
St. Catherine’s swimming, Guildford2,240 CFU/100mL
Radford Park, Liphook>4840 CFU/100mL
Byfleet swimming spot2,599 CFU/100mL
Shottermill184 CFU/100mL
Frith End Field2,827 CFU/100mL
Frith End Road bridge2,827 CFU/100mL

26th October 2024

LocationResults
St. Catherine’s swimming, Guildford3,973 CFU/100mL
Radford Park, Liphook3,133 CFU/100mL (R-Card test)
Byfleet swimming spot>4,840 CFU/100mL
Gostrey Meadow626 CFU/100mL
Tilford West Bank2,240 CFU/100mL
Tilford East Bank24,196 CFU/100mL

The R-Card test uses ROTH R-Cards which are an alternative to the IDEXX method which requires some laboratory processes. We’re evaluating the results from these cards which can be processed at home with a small ‘egg incubator’ and will hopefully give us a means to increase the scope and scale of the areas we can test.

19th October 2024

LocationResults
St. Catherine’s swimming, Guildford2,903 CFU/100mL
Radford Park, Liphook>4840 CFU/100mL
Byfleet swimming spot2,599 CFU/100mL

12th October 2024

LocationResults
St. Catherine’s swimming, Guildford3,972 CFU/100mL
Radford Park, Liphook3,106 CFU/100mL
Shottermill, Haslemere185 CFU/100mL

4th October 2024

LocationResults
St. Catherine’s swimming, Guildford2,599 CFU/100mL
Shottermill, Haslemere461 CFU/100mL
Radford Park, Liphook4,838 CFU/100mL
Gostrey Meadow, Farnham413 CFU/100mL
Tilford (East)4,839 CFU/100mL
Tilford (West)832 CFU/100mL

Previous Weeks’ Results:

4th May 2024 – Initial results from the Lab :

All read over 2419.6CFU/100mL for total coliforms.

For E. coli, Shalford Mill read 770CFU/100mL. Peperharrow and Downstream of Slyfield read 2419.6CFU/100mL. The rest of the samples all read as greater than 2419.6 CFU/100mL. For reference, for recreation, levels should be below 1,000 CFU/100mL.

Individual location results:

Next week, we’re recommending a 50% dilution on all samples as well as sample locations in Bordon, Liphook, and Haslemere.

This monitoring was supported by a grant from Godalming Town Council.